Flash

[Ayshe]

There was a brief flash of silver in the sunbeams below a large oak.
Liadan looked up with attention.

[Cindy]

Kayleigh's gaze also rose to peer up. Her lips parted and she barely managed to swallow her gasp of surprise before it could be heard.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan stepped away from Aron. She t hought she could smell cinnamon.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron hung back, keeping a watchful eyes on the three ladies, but maintaining his distance so he wouldn't scare the unicorns away.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan slowly walked towards the tree. She sensed that there were unicorns near here.

[Cindy]

The tips of Kayleigh's ears tingled. She could almost hear the unicorns' heartbeats, she could feel their presence in her blood.

[Lazey Winde]

A silver unicorn poked her head out of the brush, her ears were perked forward with curiosity.

"Fawne." Liadan murmured.

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie made a small o with her mouth as she spotted the young creature. So they do exist,she thought.

[Lazey Winde]

Fawne came out of the brush. The elven girl was a stranger to her, but she knew Liadan and had not forgotten her friends, Brighid and the man Aron whom Liadan loved. Aron smelled the same and Fawne dipped her horn towards him in greeting. However Fawne could tell that Liadan had been hurt. Liadan was a lot like she had been when she had first been found by the herd. Fawne gently nudged Liadan's shoulder with her muzzle. Liadan's eyes got misty as she stroked the unicorn's neck.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron smiled softly as Fawne and Lia greeted one another. He rested one hand on Brie's shoulder as Kayleigh watched wistfully. Aron knew, the moment  Lia's eyes moistened, that this had been the best choice for her. She needed this.

[Lazey Winde]

"Who did this to you? I'll kill them." Fawne whispered.

"Momzers, they're already dead. But a sotah has been putting men up to this, I wasn't the last one." Liadan said quietly. "Her name is Galina, and she's a magic user. I think she has been using unicorn magic... Aron  took a  rag from her place that had a unicorn hair in it, a black one."

Fawne snorted like a bull. "She should die."

Liadan agreed. "I'd love to kill her myself if I could get at her. How is the herd? Has anyone been hunted?"

"The herd is well, no one has been hunted since Sotyli the elf was  taken care of. If it is a unicorn hair she must have found it, or it had been taken before Sotyli was stopped, or from another herd." Fawne said.

"Maybe you should look at it, Aron has it." Liadan said.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron withdrew the rag and brought it forth, laying it flat so that Fawne could see it well.

[Lazey Winde]

Fawne looked at the rag, and it was clear that she did not like it one bit. She shied away a few steps, her tassled tail lashed from side to side.

"It's unicorn hair all right. It was soaked in blood and it's covered with evil magic." Fawne said, bucking her head as if she were to run the rag through with her horn.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron quickly stuffed the rag back in his pocket in order to save his hand. "Do you have any idea how to destroy this rag?"

[Lazey Winde]

"Tear it up and... Humans are good at using fire, right? Burn it. Don't let Galina get it back, not even a piece of it." Fawne gave a shudder. "Anyone so evil should never get a hold of so much power over another. Do you know if she has anymore hair, or anything else belonging to Liadan?"

Liadan felt sick at Fawne's reaction. Her face paled.

[Muffin Puffin]

"I don't intend to let her get this back. I am just fearful that burning it might have some adverse effect on Lia. I don't know what else she might have in her room. He glanced at Lia. "I might have to play my way in to her room again."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan grabbed Aron's hand. "I don't want you near that sotah, or in her room." She said stubbornly.

"I don't know if it would hurt Liadan or not if you burn it, but this Galina can do a great deal of harm to her if she gets the cloth back." Fawne said. "Juku might know more about it."

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron turned to Lia and lay his hand over hers. "I don't you don't. But ...in order to stop her....I have to do something." Then he glanced at Fawne and nodded. "I won't let her get it back, but I do need to find a way to destroy it that won't harm Lia."

[Lazey Winde]

"I don't want her near you." Liadan murmured, still stubborn.

Fawne jutted her bearded chin towards the elven girl. "Is she your friend?" She asked, meaning whether or not she could be trusted.

[Muffin Puffin]

"I don't particularly want to be near her either. But I have to do what I have to do." Aron followed Fawne's gaze. "This is Kayleigh, she is our friend. She and her sister commune with animals and Kayleigh has a good heart."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan squeezed Aron's hand- tight. She was very possessive of him, at least where Galina was concerned.

"I'll take you to the herd then." Fawne said, and began to trot through the trees.

[Cindy]

Aron gritted his teeth but didn't cry out...he wasn't about to frighten Fawne. Kayleigh and Brighid fell into step behind them as they all moved deeper in to the trees.

[Lazey Winde]

Unaware of what she was doing, Liadan began to grind Aron's knuckles together.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Stoppit!" Aron hissed at her.

[Lazey Winde]

"What?" Liadan did not know what she had done, but she released Aron's hand. She did not know why he was angry at her and was hurt. She looked at the ground.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron rubbed the pain from his hands. "Lia, I love holding hands with you. But you were about to break every bone in my hand." The offended appendage was bright red with pain.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan stared at Aron's hand, her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry." Liadan whispered, ashamed at herself for hurting him.

[Muffin Puffin]

"It's all right, Cupcake. Your mind is on other things." He held his arm out, welcoming her to snuggle against his side as they walked.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan pressed against his side.

"I'm so destructive." She said miserably. She noticed the cinnamon scent growing stronger.

[Muffin Puffin]

"You weren't thinking," he said, kissing the top of her head.

[Lazey Winde]

"I was thinking." Liadan argued, still stubborn.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron shook his head. "Yeah but not about my hand."

[Lazey Winde]

"I didn't mean to-" Liadan began, then was interrupted by the sound of thundering hooves.

A certain emerald unicorn was running right at them.

[Muffin Puffin]

"I know you didn't...." Aron stepped slightly to the side, just so they would be out of the unicorn's path.

[Lazey Winde]

Thunder clambered to a stop. He looked happy to see Liadan and Aron, giving each a hearty nudge on the shoulder.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron smiled widely and let his arm drift down so that Lia would be free to visit with her friends. Kayleigh took a few steps closer, not wanting to miss a minute of spending time with these magnificent creatures.

[Lazey Winde]

After greeting Liadan, Thunder went over to the elven girl. He seemed to saunter.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh smiled and curtsied to him. "Good day, my fine friend, "she said in greeting.

[Lazey Winde]

Thunder made a sort of bo. "Good day lady."

[Muffin Puffin]

Brighid walked up behind Kayleigh even as the young girl stretched out her hand, wanting to stroke the unicorn.

[Lazey Winde]

Thunder nuzzled  the girl's hand.

Liadan spotted Juku, he was resting and watching a couple foals playing. He turned his head to look at Liadan and Aron.

[Muffin Puffin]

A flash of memory shot through Brighid. Something long forgotten? No. She never would have simply forgotten something so important. Someone had stolen some memories. "Thunder..." she whispered.

Kayleigh looked up and about. "I don't hear any thunder."

[Lazey Winde]

Thunder looked up at Brighid, his head cocked slightly to the side.

"Yes Brighid?" He asked, then added for the elven girl, "I'm Thunder."

[Muffin Puffin]

"Oh. Greetings, Thunder," Kayleigh smiled. "I'm Kayleigh."

Brighid gasped softly and moved closer. Her fingers trailed through his mane as memories flooded back. "Oh, Thunder, I've missed you."

[Lazey Winde]

"I missed you too." Thunder said, then bowed his head to scrape at the ground with his horn.

[Cindy]

Brighid resisted the urge to throw her arms around his neck, clinging to a very important, good person who was part of her past.

[Lazey Winde]

Wildflowers sprang from where Thunder scraped the ground. The emerald unicorn was showing off.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh laughed with delight as did Brie. "Oh Thunder, my old friend. They are lovely."

[Lazey Winde]

Thunder strutted around the two girls. He was enjoying himself.

Juku rose to his hooves and looked down at Liadan and Aron. "Hello, what brings you here?"

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie nudged Kayleigh. "He does so like to show off."

Aron cleared his throat gently. "We have come seeking your assistance and guidance. There is evil in the village and Fawne confirmed the person used a unicorn hair in one of her spells." He glanced at Lia. "And Lia could use some healing."

[Lazey Winde]

"Healing?" Juku studied Liadan, then turned back to Aron. "Who used our hair?" Juku snorted.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Galina," Aron replied. "I don't know her last name, she may not have one. But she worships Asheroth and Molech. I don't know a lot about them other then they are dangerous."

[Lazey Winde]

"They're evil." Juku said. "Murderers of human foals and abusers of women. Warped and disgusting. I have seen their handiwork before."

[Muffin Puffin]

"Galina must be channeling them. She's controlling these men...strangers to the village, they're attacking women. " Aron lowered his voice. "They attacked Lia last year and they went after Aislyn two nights ago. Plus there is another woman at the healers that they attacked."

[Lazey Winde]

Juku furiously shook his mane, reared up and stamped his front hooves down so hard even Thunder stopped prancing around the girls for a moment to pay attention to the herd's leader.

"I will run them through!" Juku bellowed.

[Muffin Puffin]

"We don't want to risk your lives," Aron replied, trying to remain calm, even though he knew exactly how Juku felt. "We would appreciate your help but I don't know that any of us could live with a loss of the herd."

[Lazey Winde]

Juku gave an impatient bray.

"Where are they?!"

[Muffin Puffin]

"They congregate at the Black Raven. Galina rules them from there, she has a room upstairs. But there are strangers all over the village, probably watching the women. Choosing their next victim."

[Lazey Winde]

Juku scarcely knew one building from another, much less which one was the Black Raven, but he was steamed up enough t o charge into the village. He spun around and began running full tilt towards the village.

Thunder watched Juku disappear through the trees. "Wow. Maybe we should follow him."

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie had already started after him. She wasn't about to allow harm to come to any of the unicorns. She had enough bolts to take out every creep within the village.

[Lazey Winde]

A few of the foals skipped over to where their leader had torn off. They pranced around, jabbing their horns ahead of themselves, pretending to be fierce.

"Charge!" A little red colt shouted and began running after Juku.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh cried out, "Oh no!" She raced after the foals, wishing for her bow. But she was resourceful, she could make a weapon out of anything so she could protect them.

[Lazey Winde]

The foals stopped at a yew tree that looked fierce enough. They began poking it with their horns. One emerald filly kept making branches spread out everytime she struck the tree.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh was torn. She wanted to help take down the people causing all of the harm, but if she left the foals unattended, she knew they might wander into the village and get into danger. The bigger unicorns were heading for the village, along with the three humans. Kayleigh decided her place was watching the foals.

[Lazey Winde]

"Get the melf!"  The red colt cried. He turned and charged at Kayleigh. "Your days are numbered, melf!"

"Melf! Melf! Melf!" The other foals chanted, following the red colt, except for the emerald filly whose mane and ears were entangled in the branches of the yew tree.

The red colt reared up in front of Kayleigh, shaking his little cloven hooves at her. "Resistance is futile!"

"Foodle!"

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh arched an eyebrow and glanced over at the entangled foal. "Foodle, hmm? Well, I'm going right over here and disentangle your friend from the tree. And then...." she turned to the little red one and smiled. "We can play some games. Would you rather play games or hurt someone who has never hurt you?"

[Lazey Winde]

The red colt's hooves clicked as he went back down to all fours.

"Was just playin'."

[Muffin Puffin]

"I figured you were," Kayleigh said with a wide smile. After all, had she thought he indeed meant her arm, she would have shown fear. "Let me just go help our little friend over here, then we can play."

[Lazey Winde]

"To the tree! To the tree!" The red colt shouted and led the charge back to the tree.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh giggled and ran after the unicorns and Flash.

[Lazey Winde]

The red colt attacked the tree fiercely with his sharp stubby horn and tiny cloven hooves.

[Muffin Puffin]

Kayleigh leaned against the other side of the tree, pretending to be a maiden in distress.